Educating the Children of Cambodia:
Jim Thompson’s Tribute to His Mother

With the opening of Crown's office in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Jim Thompson, chairman of Crown Worldwide, together with his wife Sally, had the opportunity to travel the outlying country side. It was brought to their attention that the village of Proa Chum needed a real school for its children, and that the area where the few classes were taught lacked an actual bathroom--something that kept many young girls from showing up.

Jim and his wife Sally wanted to help create a safe and secure place where the kids from Proa Chum could better their chances for the future through education. So Jim contacted the Cambodian government and agreed to provide the funds for the school. His only condition was that it be named in his mother's honor. With the aid of a professor from the Royal University of Phnom Penh, the Hun Sen Proa Chum Primary School was built in four months.

On December 8, 2007, Jim and his sister, Hazel Joyce, along with a representative for Cambodia's prime minister and 1,500 other people attended the opening. To the group of Cambodian children who gathered at the center of their village, happily waving flags, this was more than just a necessity for them, it was a symbol. It was a glimpse at a future not dominated by staggering poverty and hardship, but rather one of hope through education.

After a large picture of Sadie Thompson, Jim’s mother, was shown to those gathered, Jim addressed the children in one of their new classrooms. His key message to them was that the only way for them to escape the devastating poverty is to get an education. He also stressed to the girls in the audience that they should try to stay in school and use the education as a way to avoid being forced into prostitution. (In Cambodia, there is a large problem with AIDS and children being sold into prostitution, which has been well-documented in the media.)

The goal of helping people, and in particular children, is very close to Jim’s heart and something he is also always emphasizing in his speeches--the importance of us as people and as a company to give back to the communities in which we live and operate.

According to Jim’s sister Hazel Joyce, there is a strong connection between what Jim did in Cambodia and his mother, "Anything about being good and trying to care for people; the commitment to making a positive difference, we both learned from our mother."

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